Support for open books.



No. 632,429. Patented Sept. 5, I899. A. MD. RIDDELL.

SUPPORT FOR QPEN BOOKS. (Application filed July 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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flaw .J cia ma UNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLAN MOD. RIDDELL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SUPPORT FOR OPEN BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,429, dated September 5, I899.

Application filed July 6, 1899. Serial No. 722,917. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLAN MoD. RIDDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Open Books, of which the following is a speciflcation.

My invention is a simple attachment to a book for the purpose of holding the covers upright and folded back at an angle in the style of an easel. It is adapted to all kinds of books which are read lengthwise, and a good illustration of its use is a stenographic notebook. Various devices of moreor less complicated character have been employed for this purpose. My own improvements possess the merits of extreme simplicity and cheapness, and in a general way they are embodied in a flexible connection secured to one cover and attached by an adjustable clip to the edge of the other cover, so that the angle of the covers can be regulated by moving the clip upon such edge.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open book supported in easel style by my attachment. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail section of part of one cover, showing a simple means for securing the end of the flexible connection. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the attachment of the free end of the flexible connection to an adjustable clip.

A and B are the two covers of a book, connected by a flexible back binding, so that the covers can be folded backward and the book supported in easel shape in convenient position for reading or copying. To one cover of the book is secured a flexible connection C, which may be a cord, tape, or band of any suitable kind. The attachment to the cover may be made in any desired manner. The device I prefer to use and have illustrated is a stud a, having a split shank, the latter being passed through a hole in the cover and preferably about midway of one edge. The end of the flexible connection is caught and held beneath the stud, as shown. To the end of the flexible connection is attached a clip 1), preferably bent out of spring metal, so as to be sufficiently elastic. The end of the connection C may be passed through a small hole in the clip and held by a knot, as shown. IVhen the book-covers are folded back in easel style, the clip is slipped over the edge of the other cover at any convenient point. The angle of the two covers is controlled and regulated by sliding the clip up or down upon the edge, whereby the covers are allowed to separate or are brought nearer together, the flexible connection keeping such covers from spreading, while their mutual angular position prevents them from coming together.

The advantages of my device lie in its extreme simplicity and cheapness and the ease with which it can be adjusted, not bychanging the length of the cord, for which a special attachment is necessary, but by simply changing the clip on the edge of the cover up or down.

When closed and out of use, the attachment is conveniently kept out of the way by connecting the clip to one edge of the same cover to which the cord is secured; but it is not necessary to remove it from the edge of the other cover.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction herein described and shown, as I desire to avail myself of such modifications and equivalents as fall properly within the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the front and back coversiof a book, a flexible cord secured to one cover and a movable clip for connecting the said cord to the other cover.

2. In combination with the front and back covers of a book, a flexible connection secured to one cover, and a clip adjustable on the edge of the other cover, and forming a means for connecting said covers, whereby the book is supported in easel style and the relative angle of said covers can be changed.

3. In combination with the front and back covers of a book, a flexible connection secured to one cover, and carrying a clip, adapted for removable and adjustable attachment to the edge of the other cover.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my sig-v nature, in presence of two witnesses, this 26th day of June, 1899.

ALLAN MOD. RIDDELL.

Witnesses:

L. W. SEELY, IV. 13. HENRY. 

